How to toast coconut in the oven, stove or microwave

Much like toasting spices, toasting desiccated coconut is an easy step thar makes it more aromatic, intensifies its flavour and gives it a lovely crunch. It’s an essential step in many recipes and it’s super easy. You can quickly toast coconut in the microwave, oven or on the stove. Watch and learn how to do it!

Watch how to toast coconut

How to toast coconut in a pan on the stove

Choose a frypan with a large surface area so you can spread the coconut out thinly.
Use a medium-low heat so you can easily control the browning.
Constantly stir and shake the coconut to give it even colour.
Once golden, remove coconut from the pan and let cool. Do not leave it in the pan even with the heat turned off, as it will continue to toast and could burn.

How to toast coconut in the microwave

Choose a large microwave safe plate and spread the coconut out as thinly as possible.
Microwave on high in one minute intervals, tossing with a spoon every minute. Repeat for a total of 4-5 minutes.
Once coconut has reached your desired colour, remove from microwave and let cool.

How to toast coconut in the oven

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a large baking sheet.
Spread the coconut out thinly on baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once coconut is golden, remove from oven and set aside to cool.

How to store toasted coconut

Store toasted coconut in an airtight container in the pantry for up to six weeks. Let it cool completely before storing so it won’t steam and become soft. Its long storage time is convenient if you want to toast extra coconut and save it for later use. If the coconut goes stale and soft, you can refresh it by toasting it again for a slightly shorter amount of time.

How to use desiccated coconut

Toasted desiccated coconut can be used as a decoration on baked goods, sprinkled over muesli or breakfast oats, stirred through coconut rice for a crunchy texture or used in these recipes with desiccated coconut. Check out the recipes below and get cooking today!

Get the recipe: Anzac Caramel Slice

The classic flavours of an Anzac biscuit are given a twist in this caramel slice. Full of coconut, oats, golden syrup and a layer of condensed milk caramel, this slice is irresistible!

Get the recipe: Crackle Banoffee Pie

A touch of coconut in this crunchy banoffee pie base adds an extra dimension of flavour. Coconut lovers can sprinkle toasted coconut on top too for a lovely golden garnish.

Get the recipe: Pink Jelly Cakes

These jelly cakes have a fluffy white coating of untoasted desiccated coconut, but if you prefer you could always toast it to intensify the coconut flavour.